Businesses obtaining addresses and phone numbers from KVK to pester entrepreneurs with 'lucrative offers', outright fraud or even threats have long been a major irritation. There is good news: the rules are being tightened. Shielding certain details will become easier, so they can no longer be freely requested through the Business Register.
Self-employed professionals can have their address shielded
Entrepreneurs' home addresses have been shielded in the Business Register since 1 January 2022. This does not apply to self-employed people working from home, whose home address is also their company's visiting address. It cannot simply be shielded, except where the person faces 'serious threats'. In such exceptional cases, you can request that your home address be shielded so it is not available to everyone. European regulations prevent visiting addresses from being shielded in all cases.
Higher-risk professions
People in certain professions face greater risks, such as freelance journalists, lawyers and even football coaches. People determined to confront them can create unpleasant or dangerous situations. If a self-employed professional's home address is listed as their company's business address and they are threatened or feel threatened, it can now be shielded immediately. KVK then investigates whether shielding is justified. The criteria are unfortunately not yet clear, and permanent shielding is often impossible. Entrepreneurs must remain reachable. A mailing address may be used, but the entrepreneur must then obtain a PO box or pay for an address in a shared business centre.
KVK criticised over conflicts of interest
KVK has faced criticism as self-employment grows rapidly. Many self-employed people complained of nuisance calls after registering their company, from insurers, business directories and business internet, energy and telephone providers. Joining the do-not-call register did not help: many callers ignored it because the number was 'business-related', regardless of whether the entrepreneur used one phone for work and private life. Fortunately, KVK no longer resells telephone numbers, so this irritation is a thing of the past.